


Of diamonds and coal

by tea_for_lupin



Category: Agatha Christie's Poirot (TV), CHRISTIE Agatha - Works, Poirot - Agatha Christie
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 09:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3442256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_for_lupin/pseuds/tea_for_lupin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As so often happens, a throwaway remark by Hastings inspires Poirot in solving a case. Poirot is, naturally, grateful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of diamonds and coal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aphilologicalbatman (inabathrobe)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabathrobe/gifts).



> My first foray into writing for this fandom. Rapidly written, relentlessly unbeta'ed. I hope you all enjoy it.

'Pah!'

I looked up from the sporting section of the newspaper to see that Poirot, following his exclamation of disdain, had cast the main segment to one side with uncharacteristic untidiness. It lay beside the square plate in a crumple of black and white print, and Poirot was favouring it with a most dissatisfied expression.

'I say, Poirot,' I said, raising an eyebrow, 'what on earth is the matter?'

His momentary irritation overcome, my friend took up the offending item once again, and began to fold it into crisp, exact thirds. 'This,' he cried, thrusting it towards me, 'this little problem it is that so deranges Poirot. The affair of the Black Diamond, _ça ne marche pas_ , Hastings!' He took up a piece of perfectly square toast, buttered it vigorously, and cut it into triangles with a savage precision that would have done a surgeon credit. 'The house, it has been searched. The servants, the house guests, the mistress of the house—all have been spoken to, and all, I judge, have given an honest account of themselves. The little grey cells, they have laboured—and yet the answer eludes me!' He struck with one fist at the table, and the coffee cups quivered in their saucers. 'Ah, but there is something that I have missed. It gives me furiously to think!'

I looked at the article that presented itself to me at the top of the neatly-folded paper. The theft of the Black Diamond had certainly become a nine days' wonder. Belonging to Miss Annie Murchison, current darling of the London stage, the priceless gem had been taken from her locked jewel-case during her recent stay at the home of Lady Ellington, and not a trace of it had been found. Japp had begged Poirot to take the case, but thus far he had had no luck solving it. I knew how much it must irk my dear friend to have to admit himself baffled.

'It's certainly most puzzling,' I observed. 'And yet the thing can't just have vanished into thin air, can it? It must be somewhere.'

Poirot threw me an exasperated glance. 'But of course, Hastings—of course it is somewhere! Its precise location, however—!'

I set the newspaper aside and picked up my coffee. 'Don't worry, Poirot,' I said. 'I have every confidence you'll get to the bottom of it in due course.'

His face softened into unexpected warmth as he looked across at me. 'Have you, _mon cher_?' 

My heart was a sudden lump in my throat as I looked back at him. 'Well, of course. Can you even doubt it?'

Poirot rose and came around to my side of the table and, setting his hands on my shoulders, he placed a tender kiss on my forehead. 'Always you have faith in me, my Hastings,' he said, and his eyes twinkled. 'It shall not be in vain. You shall see!' 

He left the dining room to go and dress for the day. Suffused with the warm glow of our affection I returned to the sports section while I finished the last of my breakfast. As I rose to clear the table, Poirot came back in, looking as dapper as ever, and if I was momentarily distracted from my task by the need to let him know how handsome I thought him—well, who could blame me?

'If it's all right with you, Poirot,' I said, once he was straightening his waistcoat and I had taken the dishes to the kitchenette, 'I'll be lunching out today. An old school friend is in town and wanted to look me up. I'm meeting him at the Coal and Scuttle at half past—good lord, what is it?'

For Poirot had gone very still in the act of setting out the pack of cards he used for building card-houses, a favourite pastime of his when he needed to think things through clearly and methodically. In his eyes the green light that I knew so well was shining, bright as a cat's; and this could mean only one thing: that something had suddenly occurred to him in relation to the case at hand, and his little grey cells were busily making connections.

' _Comment_ , Hastings, but where did you say you are to meet your friend?'

'At the Coal and Scuttle,' I answered, 'but I don't understand—'

'No, Hastings, of course you do not yet understand. It is not required of you to understand! But Poirot, at last Poirot begins to comprehend. _Nom d'un nom d'un nom_! The good Japp, I must speak to him immediately!' Poirot seized the 'phone and dialled rapidly. '' _Allo, l'Inspecteur Japp_? Japp, at once, I pray of you tell me: the residence of Lady Ellington, is it heated by the coal or by the gas?'

I couldn't see the point of this query, and neither, it appeared, could Japp. I could hear him making faint expostulatory sounds at the other end of the line. Poirot interrupted him sternly.

'But no, my good Japp, I assure you it is of the utmost importance. I have the little idea—and the fate of the Black Diamond rides upon it. Only find out this for me, and by tonight the case may be solved. _Bien_ , I shall await your call. _Merci_.' He rang off, and turned to me with a broad smile.

'Hastings, how should I manage without you, _mon cher_?' he exclaimed. 'For as it has so often passed, you shine the light into the darkness.'

'I'm very glad you think so,' I said dubiously, 'though how it can possibly be relevant to know whether Lady Ellington's house is heated by gas or coal is beyond me. I don't suppose you'd care to enlighten me?'

Poirot twinkled at me, and set his hands at my waist. 'Enlighten you? _Mais non, mon ami_ —not yet! When I am sure, when I know all—then you, too, shall know all!' He glanced over at the clock, and then rubbed his thumbs gently, teasingly up my sides, looking up at me in a fashion guaranteed to make me weak at the knees. 'The good Japp, he will return my call in half an hour. That is long enough, is it not, for me to show my gratitude for your assistance?'

In fact, by the time Japp called back to inform us that Lady Ellington's house was indeed heated with coal, Poirot had had the chance to show his gratitude quite throughly, though not for me to return the favour. 'We attend now to the matter of the diamond,' he said, 'but tonight— _Pardon_ , Hastings, but your tie, it is off-centre. You permit?'

'This time, any asymmetry of my tie is most certainly not _my_ fault,' I protested, and Poirot chuckled. 

'Indeed not. I repair what I have disarranged! _Voilà_. And now, we go—but tonight you will reward me for my hard work, _oui_?'

I could see that Poirot would not be dissuaded from his intent, and in any case, having had my own pleasure so well taken care of, I was feeling too languid to argue. 'All right then,' I replied, 'let's see what grubbing about in coal chutes can tell us about the whereabouts of the Black Diamond.'

Poirot gave me a reproving look. 'There is no question of 'grubbing about', Hastings! There are questions that I must ask, places and people that I must see, and then—I shall _know_.'

I pressed his hand to my lips one last time, letting them linger so that he sighed, eyes fluttering half-closed with desire. 'I'm certain that you will, love,' I said; and this was not a word I used lightly or often, because it came awkwardly to me, but the warm pleasure that spread across Poirot's face when I did was worth any awkwardness that I felt. 'I'm certain that you will.'


End file.
